Council bans hazardous pesticides

City Council Thursday approved an ordinance that places a citywide ban on the use of chlorpyrifos, a carcinogen, as well as glyphosate, a possible carcinogen. Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide and glyphosate is the main ingredient in Roundup. Neonicotinoids, neuroactive insecticides, were also banned in the ordinance because of claims that they harm bee colonies, and, in a response to city employees who claimed that pesticide use inside city buildings was making them sick, the ordinance also provides that contractors must comply with the city’s Integrated Pest Management policy inside city buildings. “Austin continues to lead Texas’ cities in environmental stewardship. Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, take note,” said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG state director, in a press release. “This is a great step for public health in the area (and) the health of our ecosystem.”